Mixing device



yf5. HOLMGREN, w. A. scHARNHoRsT, R. w'. TRASK, AND E. c. RUSSELL.

MIXING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 27, |922.

IASG, 1 72. Patented Nav-.#21, 1922.

Patented Nov. 2l, i222.

paaren stares naar GOTTFRID HOLMGREN, WILLIE-.lvl A. SCHARNHORST, RiiLPI-I W'. TRASK, .AND EARL CLIFFORD RUSSELL, 0F DULUTH, MINNESOTA.

MIXING DEVICE.

Application llcd .April 27, 1922. Serial No. 556,832.

T 0 all zo /Lomt may cof/cera Be it known that we, Gorrrnm Henneman, a subject of the King of Sweden, WILLIAM A. SoHAnNHonsr, a citizen of the United States, RALPH W. TRASH, a citizen of the United States, and EARL Cnrrono RUSSELL, a citizen of the United States, all residing at Duluth, in the county of St. Louis and .State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lllixing Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to mixers and has special reference to a mixer and agitator for milk, the principal object being to provide a simple and efficient portable mixing device for use in cans of whole milk as they are received in a Creamery or the like when it becomes desirable to thoroughly mix the contents of each can before testing same as to its content.

Another object is to provide as sanitary a device of this character as possible.

Still other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the further description thereof.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this application* Figure l is a central vertical sectional view of one of the mixing devices partly in elevation, and

Figure `2 is an elevation of the mixing blades and associated parts partlyi in section.

A cylindrical housing composed of the two separable parts l and 2 comprises the principal body portion of the invention, they being screw threadedly united as at 3. The part l has an axial upstanding hub portion 4, through which the rotative spindle or shaft 5 is journalled, and the part 2 is constricted at its lower end as at 6, in the truncated termination of which is formed a central opening or hole, the closure for which when the mixer is not being rotated is in the form of a cap 7, attached to the end of the shaft 5 in any desired manner. This cap has an annular stepped circumferential surface which lits within a similarly shaped annular seat about the edges of the opening in the lower end of the portion 2, and we prefer to insure tight seating of the cap 7 by means of a ground ljoint in preference to gaskets or the like.

Upon the inner tace of the cap 7 are four upwardly extending vanes or blades 8, and 9, the ones indicated at 8 being comparatively short and occurring directly beneath the end of the propeller or stirring blades; while the ones indicated at 9 occur between the blades l0 and may extend upwardly some considerable distance, in fact preferably approximately the full length of the blades or thereabouts.

Spaced upwardly on the shaft 5 from the cap 7, a suitable distance to provide clearance for the desired length of the propeller blades, is a cross-head ll rigidly fixed thereto. In the lower portion of the opposite ends of the cross-head ll are pivotally mounted the blades 10, as at l2, the hub 13 of each blade having a notch lll therein for engagement with the lower corner of the cross head l1 when the blade is disposed horizontally and longitudinally therewith, as for example when rotated, the blades depending normally when not in action from the crossheacl, as illustrated in the drawings.

The lower converging end 6 of the housing 2 is designed for the purpose of conveniently resting within the flaring mouth of a common milk can as illustrated at 15, as in operation the mixer is allowed to rest upon the mouth of the milk can in which the stirring is to be done, when the shaft 5 is lowered within the mixing elements well down into the contents of the can, and rotation of the shaft may be accomplished either by a suitable hand propelled mechanism or an electric motor as illustrated at 16, and which may or may not be portable, as desired.

From the foregoing it is evident that we have devised a simple, sanitary mixer, which, when transported from one can to another, or when. standing idle, is free from contamination by contact with the air as the receptacle, in which the mixer is contained, is at all such times closed; also one that is as free as possible from the annoyance of dripping, all of the mixing elements being snugly housed therein; and one that when applied to a can of liquid such as milk or the like the same may be raised or lowered therein during` the mixing process to accomplish as thorough a job as desired.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l.. AV mixer of the class-described comprising a container, a shaft rotatably mounted within the container and axiallyl adjustable therethrough, mixing` elements carried by the shaft, and a closure for the lower end of the container carried by the shaft below the mixing elements whereby when the container is suspended upon the shaft the same will be closed and the mixing elements therewithin. v

2. The combination with a rotatable shaft, of a container loosely Carried thereupon adjacent its lower end said'l container having a eonstrieted lower end and' an axial opening therein, a closure for said opening,` earried upon the extreme lower end of the shaft, mixing elements carried upon the shaft above the Closure and houszble within the container when the latter is suspended upon the shaft. p

3. A mixer of the class described comprising` a rotatable vertically disposed shait,`

mear/e the lower end thereof, a closure forv said opening carried upon the lower end of the shaft and mixing elements carried upon the lower end of the shaft and spaced from the Closure and normally contained within the housing.

t. A mixer of the Class described comprisinga eylindrieally shaped housing, a rotatable shai't axially disposed within the housing and extendable therethrough downwardly and expandable mixing elements carried by the shaft normally within the housing` for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof we hereunto afi'ix our signature in the presence of two witnesses:

GOTTFRID HULMGREN, WILLlAli A. SCHARNHORST. RALPH WV. TRASK. EARL CLIFFORD' RUSSELL. lVit'nesses J, E. ANDERSON, E. C. HAwxINs. 

